[Initiating Eternal Equations: 1/3]
[Equation 1: TimeTailor]
[Confirm execution: Y/N]
The scientist could have kissed Aegis on the lips if it were a human. "You finished the task just in time, old friend. You never disappoint. Confirmed! Begin execution!"
[Set Time Speed: x01, x0.5, x0.25, x0.1]
TimeTailor was one of the three eternal God Formula equations that Griffin had worked on for decades. Controlling the speed of time was deemed impossible, but not for Aegis, which could replicate the creator's power.
Eternal Equations did not require mana to execute, but could be used only once by an advanced user. Griffin needed to make it count.
"One-fourth the speed of time should give me enough to keep Dagon in check and roll out my plan. Let's go for x0.25."
[Equation 1: TimeTailor: 0,25] [Activated!]
Abruptly, everything slowed down. The progress of Dagon's downward plunge was also affected. In fact, the entire world seemed to have caught its breath.
It was only Griffin's thoughts that TimeTailor didn't manipulate, because Aegis synthetically accelerated them.
The scientist took a deep breath. "At least I could relax for a second. Okay, now let's execute the second equation."
[Equation II: FutureTell]
[Set Search Range and Search Object]
"Set the search range to 1000 years. The search object will be—the chosen one."
FutureTell, the second eternal equation, allowed the user to see into the future. It was another impossible thing made possible by Aegis's god-like abilities.
Griffin's HUD suddenly faded into black. All sounds ceased. A showcase of images appeared in his vision, arranged year-wise. The scientist rooted through the gallery with his fingers. When he was done, he smiled bitterly.
"So there you are, chosen one. You'll inherit God Formula from me. And oops. That's how everything is going to turn out for you. I don't know whether I should call it a blessing or a calamity. Well, so be it. Now I have seen the future."
Griffin's ultimate wish was to see how the universe would turn out after the chosen one accepted his responsibility. After the last image appeared, the showcase would not scroll further.
[Error!] [Cataclysmic Event!] [Prediction Failure!]
Griffin clicked his tongue. "Ah, so something so epic and tragic happens at this point that even Aegis cannot see through the uncertainty. That's sad. Anyway, I got what I was looking for."
His HUD blinked to normal. Now, Griffin was about to execute the final eternal equation that would provide the chosen one with all the memories and skills needed to master Aegis and God Formula.
Crack! Griffin heard a disturbance above him. Dagon was still suspended in slow motion. However, he seemed to resist the effects of TimeTailor. "How is that possible? Nothing can overpower an eternal equation! It is woven through the creator's power!"
The answer came to him immediately. "It's that damned Zweihander!" Griffin cursed. "Its god-killing attributes are unraveling the TimeTailor equation!"
Griffin realized his plan had failed. Now, he had to make haste to salvage whatever was possible.
[Equation 3: XReincarnate]
This time, his HUD disappeared completely. A 360° view came up.
[Welcome to Aegis XReincarnate] [Transferring Aegis Source Code to Chosen One]
[Warning!] [Chosen One shall experience amnesia!]
[Warning!] [Chosen One may not possess boosted stats]
Crack! Dagon had sped up enough to come within proximity of Griffin. TimeTailor still bogged him down, but the tip of his sword was around six feet away from Griffin.
A spark of dark energy from the greatsword connected with Aegis, causing a malfunction.
[TimeTailor: Deactivated!]
"Noooo!" Griffin roared, realizing that the third eternal equation was still being executed. The scientist sighed as his life flashed before his eyes. He had led a lonely life without a family and with a few work friends.
In the end, his most outstanding achievement —the Aegis AI — had somehow malfunctioned. Was it worth it? What had been the meaning of his life?
Crack! Dagon was freed from TimeTailor, and a moment later, his greatsword plunged into Griffin's body. This time, the adamantine armor gave in. It cracked like an eggshell as the blade impaled Griffin.
"Die, mortal! Die!" Dagon howled as they plummeted downwards together like meteors. "Let your unholy Aegis and God Formula die with you!"
"Aaarghh!"
With a mighty splash, the two titans fell into the ocean. The impact of Zweihander dented the water surface and sent pillars of steam and surf into the sky. A hovering satellite caught the astronomical event from space.
Moments before Griffin lost his consciousness, Aegis blinked a final notification.
[Equation III] [XReincarnate] [Successful!]
"Good luck, Noah," Griffin breathed before being blown into nothing.
An unseen, unfelt, undetected wave radiated out in the universe. Destiny had been changed.
An ancient sleeping entity stirred in its sleep. Millions of miles away, prophets and seers of different worlds had terrible, horrifying visions.
********************
[Date: 2025 A.D.]
[Location: Concord City, Planet Galatea, Rusus-Afel Star System]
"Bloody scoundrel! Is it not enough that I am feeding a loser like you!" Mindy Shepherd snarled at her son. "Now you have demands?"
Noah clenched his jaw to suppress his anger. He was eighteen, tall, and athletic with rather good looks. However, in his worn-out, greased clothes, he looked like a house servant. "Like I said, it is for Lia…"
Mindy waved a dismissive arm as if the name was cursed. "Nonsense! Derp's birthday is coming around, and we're planning a surprise party! Do you think it is cheap to organize one in Area G? My husband is a government bureaucrat. He has a reputation to uphold!"
"Tell him, Mom!" Derp chimed in from a safe corner. "Noah's never had a birthday party, so he thinks I can do without one! He wants money to spoil his diva sister!"
Noah cast a spiteful glance at Derp, his rotund foster brother. The boy ate like a hippo and also looked and brayed like one. The young man suppressed the immediate urge to punch the fatso in the face.
"Lia's critical care medicine is running low," Noah said calmly to his mother. "I need only fifty dollars for a refill."
"Fifty dollars?! Why don't you sell my kidneys, too? You won't get a penny from me!"
The young man took a step back in frustration. What kind of monster family were they? Splurging thousands of dollars on birthday parties was okay, but a fifty for life-saving essentials was too much? The answer was quite simple.
Mindy wasn't really Noah's parent in the first place. The Shepherd family adopted him when he was ten. However, they didn't accept him out of the goodness of their hearts.
Eight years ago, because of activism by human rights organizations, the government instituted many changes. The Mayor of Concord City announced cushy government jobs, tax cuts, and allowances for families who adopted orphans from the local orphanages.
Mindy and her husband, Henry, greedily jumped at the opportunity. They took in a healthy-looking kid and his little sister into their family. They never intended to nurture and raise the kids, but to use them as house servants.
Growing up in the Shepherd household, Noah and Lia were overworked like mules. Lia, now sixteen, developed a mysterious chronic illness called Mortisimia. There was no medical cure, and she needed critical medicine just to stay alive.
"Fifty dollars…" Mindy repeated, eyeing the girl cowering in the corner. "I don't give a flying rat's ass about that sickly thing you call a sister! Tell her to stop making excuses about her health! If she doesn't continue doing household work, I'll kick her out onto the streets!"
"You will do no such thing!" Noah retorted bitterly. "She is my sister and your legal daughter! You're supposed to provide her with healthcare! Doesn't the government provide allowances for foster kids?"
Henry Shepherd had a cushy government job, thanks to the adoption scheme he chose eight years ago. Husband, wife, and son led luxurious lives. However, they wouldn't spare a coin to fulfill the needs of their foster children.
While Mindy gritted her teeth at Noah's rebellion, Henry walked in with a confused look on his face. "What's going on?"
Derp scoffed and filled his father's ears with lies. "Noah is harassing Mom like usual. He's trying to extort money to pamper his diva sister."
Henry didn't think twice before landing a backhanded slap across Noah's face.
"Just who do you think you are, bastard!" the man raged. "After all the sacrifices we have made for you, is this your payback? You ungrateful piece of shit! We won't pay for this orphan bitch's medicine anymore! She can die for all we care! Good riddance!"
While Noah stood frozen with a hand over his cheek, Mindy eyed Lia with disgust. The girl was running a fever, trembling like a leaf in the corner. "If you don't remove that diseased thing from my eyesight right now, I'll kick both of you out of the house!"
"Go to the Academy, you loser!" Derp chimed in with a smirk. "It's your last week, and obviously you won't get any jobs! But you'll be old enough to beg on the streets!"
Noah gritted his teeth in anger but returned to his room before he could explode. The last thing he needed was to be kicked out while Lia was in a critical condition. The poor girl whimpered and could barely walk.
Noah and his sister didn't really have bedrooms. They slept under a staircase in the garage on discarded, moldy mattresses. The garage reeked of putrid gasoline fumes, which only worsened Lia's condition.
Mindy slid a plate of stale leftovers under the door daily. The only times Noah was allowed inside the Shepherd mansion were when he cleaned, did the dishes, and ran errands.
"Don't worry, Lia. I'll find a way to pay for the medicine."
The little girl had a coughing fit, and it took her minutes to calm down. Finally, she nodded and cupped her brother's face affectionately to indicate she was okay. "Don't press yourself too hard, Noah… Take care of your own health," she murmured, twinkling her moist doe eyes at him.
Lia was sixteen and pretty, but was petite and skinny, mainly because of her genetic disease, Mortisimia. The doctor said she didn't have long to live, but her brother kept that information secret from Lia.
If the girl realized death was inevitable, she'd lose the will to live her remaining days. Noah intended to find a cure by any means possible.